Video Game Writing

Suckling Maurice :
Maurice Suckling and his co-author, between them, worked on over 40 games, for almost every major Western publisher. The last 14 years has seen one or both of them work as writers on titles such as Driver, Stuntman, Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad, XCOM, Sonic & Sega All-Star Racing, and more.

Walton Marek :
Marek Walton and his co-author, between them, worked on over 40 games, for almost every major Western publisher. The last 14 years has seen one or both of them work as writers on titles such as Driver, Stuntman, Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad, XCOM, Sonic & Sega All-Star Racing, and more.

This insightful, revised book explores the challenging and evolving world of the games writer. Part I provides a fascinating overview of the history of games writing following its humble roots in the '60s to today's triple-A titles; Part II asks and answers the key question: what does a games writer do and how do they do it? Especially useful reading for novice game writers, its chapters cover a broad range of topics including contracts, NDAs, creative collaboration, narrative design, editing, adaptations, and environmental storytelling. Part III, of particular value for more advanced students of writing, addresses deeper theoretical questions increasingly relevant in today's games titles, including: "Why have story at all? What is plot and how does it work? How best can a writer use agency?" Finally, Part IV presents readers with hard-earned nuggets of wisdom from today's game writers working in the US, Europe, and Japan. Packed with practical samples, case studies, and exercises, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in the world of games writing.Features: -Covers history of games writing, narrative design, storytelling, plot, contracts, and packed with practical samples, case studies, and exercises-Presents readers with opinions and suggestions from today's game writers who are working in the US, Europe, and Japan-Includes a broad range of topics e.g., creative collaboration, editing, adaptations, and environmental storytelling- Mentions games such as Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Borderlands 2, The Walking Dead, L.A. Noire, Grand Theft Auto V, Mass Effect 3, The Stanley Parable, The Last of Us, Alien Isolation, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Life is Strange, Until Dawn, Quantum Break, BioShock, World of Warcraft, and more.

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1: A Brief History of Game Stories.
2: Decoding and Devising the Brief.
3: NDAs and Contracts.
4: Collaboration: Team Us.
5: Narrative Design.
6: Outlines and Treatments.
7: Character Documents.
8: Environmental Storytelling.
9: Writing Scripts.
10: Editing.
11: Consultancy.
12: Adaptations.
13: Other Roles of the Games Writer.
14: Why Have Stories At All?
15: What Is Plot and How Does It Work?
16: Other Resources for Writers.
17: Marrying Design and Story: Driver 76 Case Study.
18: Storyloading.
19: Shifting Agency.
20: Time Gates and Act Stimulants.
21: Aristotle, Games Writing, and Games.
22: Choice or Enlightenment?
23: The Future of Games Writing.
24: What's It Like Being a Games Writer?
Appendices.